1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waveform output device which outputs waveform data in order to control actuators and electronic devices such as LED and a drive device into which the waveform output device is incorporated, particularly to the waveform output device and the drive device in which a module area can be decreased while development cost can be reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
A control device which controls the actuators such as an electrostatic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, and a stepping motor and the electronic devices such as LED using the waveform data is well known (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-140367). FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an actuator system 1 which is an example of such control devices. The actuator system 1 includes an external device 2 to which a control signal is inputted, zoom operating units 3a to 3c in which operating sequences are stored, actuator drive units 4a and 4b, autofocus operating units 5a and 5b, a switching circuit 6, and an actuator 7.
In the actuator system 1, the waveform data is outputted from the zoom operating units 3a to 3c in which the predetermined plural operating sequences are stored, the actuator drive units 4a and 4b, and the autofocus operating units 5a and 5b. 
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an actuator system which is another example of the control device. The actuator system 10 includes an external device 11 to which the control signal is inputted, an I/O interface 12, a program ROM 13, a program RAM 14, a waveform output register 15, MPU 16, a switching circuit 17, and an actuator 18.
In the actuator system 10, a predetermined waveform pattern is outputted from a waveform pattern output program recorded in the program ROM 13 and MPU 16. Because an unexpected drive waveform cannot be generated only by the program ROM 13, the data is set in the program RAM 14 from the external device 11, and MPU 16 reads the RAM data to generate the waveform pattern.
However, because a nonvolatile memory for storing the drive waveform does not exist, it is difficult to store the unexpected drive waveform. In order to store the unexpected drive waveform, it is thought that the nonvolatile memory is additionally mounted on the actuator module or the nonvolatile memory of the external device is utilized as storage.
In the above waveform output device, there are the following problems. Namely, it is difficult to mount the nonvolatile memory on the actuator module, because cost of the actuator module is increased and a component mounting area is also increased. Because a dedicated communication line for connecting the external device and the actuator module is required in order to utilize the nonvolatile memory of the external device, modification of the external device is required, which results in the problem that development cost is increased. Further, in the case of the configuration in which one external device drives the plural actuators, the dedicated communication line is required for each actuator in the external device, which results in the problem that a wiring area is increased.